October 2019 I nttheo Adult Faith Formation: Deepening our Catholic Faith & Identity “La comunión de Santa Teresa” (The Communion of Saint Teresa) by Juan Martín Cabezalero, c. 1670 deep Love & Spitfire St. Thérèse of Lisieux (Jan. 1873-Sept. Meet Sandra Sabattini 1897) was considered a “stubborn little girl” who at the age 13 experienced a profound Who is Alessandra “Sandra” A Story of Two Souls Sabattini and why is she conversion after which she felt called to In her more than 2,000 year history, there religious life. Two years later she was being reviewed for saint- have been only 36 men and women declared convinced that God was directing her to join hood? This young woman “Doctor of the Church” and thus form a part the Carmelite order, but she was considered is viewed as a modern-day of the magisterium (authentic teaching) of the too young by the local superior and bishop. saint for young adults due Roman Catholic Church. Stemming from the While on a family pilgrimage to Rome, her to the “normal yet counter- Latin word docere, “doctor” means “to teach.” determination led Thérèse to boldly ask cultural life” she chose to live. It was during the 13th century that popes first permission from Pope Leo XIII. Shortly Born in Riccione, Italy, in 1961, Sandra began to formally identify religious men and thereafter, she was allowed to become a maintained a writing journal that reflected women who were seen as exemplary teachers Carmelite nun at the age of 15. The world her devout nature from a very young age; of theology, spirituality or biblical exegesis. It knew little of her until her death almost ten recording such thoughts as “a life lived was not until the 20th century, however, that years later when her spiritual autobiography without God is just a way of passing time, women were identified Doctors and credit for was published. Therein, she divulged having whether it’s boring or fun, time to be filled their inclusion goes to the vision of Saint Pope dreamed always of being a missionary, an in while waiting for death.” 1 She joined a Paul VI.1 Apostle and a martyr. She wondered how, teen summer program to care for people living as a cloistered nun, she might nurture Shortly after the Second Vatican Council, Pope with severe disabilities; an experience that this desire and finally realized that “my changed her life and gave her a sense of Paul VI, considered by many to be a “great vocation is Love!” Ultimately becoming innovator,” instructed the Pontifical Biblical purpose. In college, she desired to become known around the world, her autobiography a medical missionary in Africa. In spite of Commission to examine Paul’s declaration on Story of a Soul, stirred numerous followers women in the church found in his first letter her hectic schedule volunteering to care for with its “little way” of holiness. This was the drug addicts in rehab centers on weekends to the Corinthians (1 Cor 14:34-36). The only book that St. Thérèse wrote and she was group discerned that this commentary was and during summer breaks, she made time the only saint that (Saint) Pope John Paul II to spend each morning in Eucharistic not an articulation of divine revelation but declared a Doctor during his long, 26-year was a pastoral statement.2 Thus in 1970, Pope Adoration. In 1984, however, her dream of pontificate. Viewing her spirituality as becoming a medical missionary was Paul VI broke new ground by declaring the extraordinary, he believed that in spite of her first Doctor of the Church, Saint Teresa of abruptly cut short when she was killed in a limited training and access to resources, she car accident at the young age of 23. Avila, followed shortly thereafter by Saint possessed phenomenal wisdom. “Through Catherine of Siena. Roughly 25 years later, her doctrine,” he explained, On October 2nd, 2019 – just last week -- two more women were likewise proclaimed “men and women from all Pope Francis approved a miracle through Doctors: Saint Thérèse of Lisieux in 1997 by walks of life have come to the intercession of Sandra which now paves Pope John Paul II and Saint Hildegard of know and love Jesus Christ the way for her future beatification. Only Bingen in 2012 by Pope Benedict XVI. This and his Gospel.” one more miracle is required for her to be month of October the Church remembers two declared a “saint.” of these women doctors: St. Thérèse of Many may be surprised to st 1 Barber, Theresa Civantos. “Blessed Sandra Sabattini, a modern saint for young Lisieux on October 1 and St. Teresa of Avila learn that Pope Francis has Thérèse of Lisieux, people.” Aleteia. 14 Oct 2018. https://aleteia.org/2018/10/14/venerable-sandra- th c. 1888–1896 sabattini-a-modern-saint-for-young-people/. on October 15 . (Continued, reverse side) Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament, Office of Adult Faith Formation 3630 Quesada St. NW, Washington, DC 20015 Interested in learning about the Catholic faith or are you interested in becoming Catholic? We gather each Sunday for the 9:00am Mass then move next door to the parish center lower level conference room. To find out more, “Come and see…”! Questions? Phone (202) 449-3974. Adult Faith Baltimore Pilgrimage Full of Blessings On Saturday, October 5th, a group of 31 pilgrims departed Blessed Sacrament parish on a Adult Faith Formation journey to Baltimore to learn about our early Catholic history. Sponsored by the Office of Adult Faith Formation, the first stop was at the German community of Holy Rosary with the Archdiocese Fall 2019: “The Mass,” Bp. Robert Barron of Baltimore Shrine of Divine Mercy. There we viewed the first-class relics of Pope St. John Paul DVD study in the Library, Wednesdays II and St. Faustina. The Italian community of St. Leo the Great, built in 1880 and listed on the through Oct. 30th, 6:30pm - 7:45pm National Register of Historic Places, was the next stop followed by lunch at Sabatino’s restaurant. Walk through the Liturgy with insights on Afterward, we visited the National Shrine of St. Alphonsus Liguori (below) where we prayed to this privileged encounter with our Lord. the Infant Child Jesus. The afternoon tour of the Baltimore Basilica left us speechless as we stood before the first-class relics of four Doctors of Coming Winter 2020: “The Eucharist.” the Church: Pope St. Gregory the Great, St. A five-week DVD study by Bishop Barron. (Registration not yet open.) Athanasius, St. Jerome and St. Gregory of Nazianzen. The day ended at the home of Mother _______________________________ (St. Elizabeth Ann) Seton with celebration of (Saturday) Vigil Mass in Chapelle Bass of St. Mary’s Chapel where St. Elizabeth took her vows. And one couple renewed their marriage vows upon return to Blessed Sacrament! (continued from front page) such as The Way of Perfection and a strong devotion to St. Thérèse dating The Interior Castle, are known around the back several years. When first elected world and continue to provide spiritual Pope, for example, his fellow Franciscans nourishment for people of all faiths. had seen him visit their church in Rome in order to spend time with the statue of In his October 2014 letter to the Bishop of It’s coming…! St. Thérèse; kissing it on each visit. In Avila, as the Church prepared to celebrate 2016, as he travelled to the Philippines, the following Spring the fifth centenary of Crèche Exhibit 2019 St. Teresa’s birth, Pope Francis called for a Pope Francis revealed that before each If you would like to participate, please “Teresian Jubilee Year.” He explained that trip or when he has a concern, he asks for phone 202-449-3974 or email: 3 “every saint shows us a feature of the a rose from Saint Thérèse of Lisieux. [email protected] multifaceted face of God…” Reflecting upon St. Teresa of Avila (Mar. 1515-Oct. her life and spiritual journey, he believed __________________________________ 1582) was born Teresa Ali Fatim Corella that St. Teresa “understood life as a way of Sanchez de Capeda y Ahumada in Ávila, perfection along which God leads man, from International Day of Spain and came to be known as a task to task, up to Him and at the same time Prayer and Fasting “spitfire.” Her family descended from puts him on a journey toward mankind.” Opening Vigil Jewish merchants who had become Through St. Teresa, we are led along the Saturday, Nov. 2nd, 8:30am – 4:30pm Christian during the time of King path of joy, prayer, fraternity and of time Basilica of the national Shrine itself. “Today Teresa tells us: pray more in of the Immaculate Conception Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. Her father was an ardent Catholic with a order to truly understand what is happening The opening day of prayer of a week-long collection of spiritual books that would around you and thus to act better. Prayer event that includes Eucharistic Adoration, later influence her own spiritual writings. conquers pessimism and generates good Global Living Rosary, Procession of Nations 4 initiatives (cf. Interior Castle VII 4, 6).” and noon Mass with guest speakers. St. Teresa refused to settle for a __________________________________ mundane life and ultimately felt God Doctors of the Church might not be able to calling her to lead the reform of the “fix a broken leg,” but their spiritual writings Carmelite religious order. Teresa worked could very well help mend a broken heart. “We always find that those who walked alongside St.